Pecan Fruit Rye Bread

First off, holy crap is it hot. All I want to do is lie on the couch. While it's a little under 90F (31C), it feels about 10 degrees hotter because of the humidity. I'm so happy it's not like this all summer. I'm finding it hard to just get through a few days of it. I know many of you have to deal with this all summer... Oh and I should mention that I baked this a while ago, when it wasn't nearly as hot. I love baking so it has to be pretty hot for me to not want to run on the oven but there's no way I'm turning it on this week.

A while back I saw that Hélène had found a recipe for Raincoast Crisps and made Cranberry Hazelnut Crisps. She discovered this recipe from Dinner With Julie who made Rosemary Raisin Pecan Crisps. And this lead to me being reminded of the Pecan + Fruit crisps from Terra Breads, a local bakery. So what does this have to do with my loaf here?? Well. I wanted to make a bread that was like the pecan + fruit crisps from Terra Breads. And soon I will also try making the Raincoast Crisps.

I combined dried cranberries, dried apples, pecans and orange zest into a bread made with rye flour and bread flour. And it was delicious. Really delicious. Exactly what I'd hoped for. The only problem was that the dried apple pieces that were sticking out on the outside of the loaf burned, so I would try to stick them in the middle somehow or push them into the dough. Or maybe freshly chopped apple would be better? I'm not sure why the recipe instructs you to roll the dough out into a rectangle then roll it up into a log. There's nothing to be put in the center (though it would be a good place for the dried apple). So I'd say either do it this way, or just try shaping it into a loaf without rolling it out.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Roast Banana Pumpkin Breakfast Bread
Milk Chocolate Cherry Twist
Golden Cinnamon Loaf
Whole Wheat Orange Spice Muffins

Pecan Fruit Rye Bread
Adapted from Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook

Makes one delicious 18 inch loaf.

1 1/4 cups warm water (about 110F), plus more if needed
1 envelope (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
10 ounces (about 2 cups) bread flour
5 1/2 ounces (about 1 cup) rye flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
zest of 1 orange
3/4 cup pecan pieces
1/2 cup dried apple, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, stir yeast into the warm water to dissolve. Let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the flours, salt, sugar and orange zest, and mix on medium-low speed until dough just comes together. If the dough is too dry, add more warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and continue beating. Switch to the dough hook, and beat on medium speed until dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky, 4 to 5 minutes. With mixer on low speed, mix in cranberries, pecans and apples. The dough will feel stiff; push in any loose cranberries, apples and pecans with your fingers. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover with oiled plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Roll out dough to a rectangle, about 13 by 10 inches and 1/2 inch thick, with a short side facing you. (Ashley note: Instead of adding in the chopped apple with the cranberries and pecans, you could add them here. This way they will all stay on the inside of the loaf and won't get burned. This is what I'll do next time.) Fold 1/2 inch flaps inward on the shorter sides of the rectangle: Starting at the top, roll the dough toward you, gently pressing as you go to form a tight log. Gently roll the log back and forth to seal the seam. (If the seam doesn't stay sealed, brush it with some water, and press down again to seal.) Transfer loaf to the prepared baking sheet, seam side down; cover loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until dough is puffed and holds an impression from your fingertip, about 45 minutes.

Bake at 350F, rotating sheet halfway through, until the crust is deep golden brown, and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the bread registers 190F, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer bread to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. Bread can be kept, in a sealed container, at room temperature for up to three days. It also freezes well.